latest
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 vs. Tile Mate: Which is the better smart tracker for you?
Replaceable battery or bigger network?
If you are shopping for a smart tag to track your belongings, you are bound to come across the Samsung SmartTag 2 and Tile Mate, which are two of the best smart trackers. Both are affordable, reasonably capable, and backed by solid networks for efficient tracking. But which is a better option for you? We put the two head-to-head, so you can determine which is the best fit for your most important items.
Samsung Galaxy SmartTag 2 vs. Tile Pro: Which is the best Android tracker?
Can Samsung compete with the original worldwide Bluetooth tracker network?
The Apple AirTag gets a lot of attention, but the first Samsung SmartTag came months before it, and the original Tile years earlier. These immensely handy Bluetooth trackers all do basically the same thing, using a combination of Bluetooth technology to inform you where you misplaced items nearby and a worldwide network of connected users to help you find items that are far away. Samsung's latest Bluetooth tracker includes some nifty features that some users will love, but the Tile leverages a wider network to appeal to users, despite being slightly less advanced.
Keep tabs on your stuff for less with nearly 50% off Tile trackers for Cyber Monday
Get select Tile products for nearly half price - but deals end today!
Find yourself constantly forgetting where you put the phone or keys? Well, keeping track of things just got cheaper with Tile's latest Cyber Monday deals. With nearly 50% off select products, you can locate anything from expensive tech to beloved pets without breaking the bank.
All of us are prone to losing things. Whether it's your precious smart wallet, keys, or luggage, it's easy to misplace them when you are absent-minded or have too many things on your mind.
Tile will impose a $1 million fine on stalkers misusing its trackers
The new anti-theft mode hides trackers from Scan and Secure, but only for owners with verified IDs
Apple popularized cheap Bluetooth location trackers with its AirTags, allowing owners to find misplaced keys or stolen bags, bikes, and more. Unfortunately, the trackers powered by Apple's Find My network can also serve as a tool for stalkers who sneak the discreet trackers into victims’ bags, jackets, or cars. With a few highly publicized cases like this, Apple's trackers were quickly met with backlash, something that Tile, the company that originally popularized the Bluetooth tracking concept, is also experiencing.
I have an admission to make. Since my college days, one of my worst habits has been constantly misplacing my keys and my wallet. It's not that I leave them in places where they could get stolen, but instead, I'm always forgetting to grab them when I head out of the house. Thankfully, Buffalo's cold, harsh winters allow me to leave my car keys and wallet in my coat pocket, while a smart lock has made worrying about house keys a thing of the past.
Tile's 'solution' to Bluetooth tracker tag privacy is apparently expensive stickers you can't even actually track
Better just hope whoever finds your stuff is honest
Tracker tags can be a great way to keep tabs on your favorite gadgets and accessories, but as we saw with their rise in popularity following Apple's launch of its own AirTags, the ability to easily track tiny tags opens up a whole hornet's nest of potential privacy issues — nobody wants a stranger tracking them without their knowledge. While most solutions to this have attempted to give users the ability to detect the presence of unknown tags, Tile has come up with an interesting alternative that basically replaces trackers with QR-code-based “this belongs to me” labels.
Tile follows Apple in adding anti-stalking feature to protect you from being tracked
Maybe don't be creepy with trackers, creeps
People love object-tracking tags for their practicality, and when Apple introduced its own last year, tag popularity soared. Along with more universal adoption, however, came the inevitable onslaught of stories about people using tags for the wrong things — namely for covertly tracking (ie, stalking) other people. This created a need to defend against unwanted tag tracking, which Apple addressed earlier this year by introducing a warning to users that tracking another person could be a crime. Now Tile is following suit.
Tile teases super-precise Apple AirTag competitor as it launches next-gen Bluetooth trackers
Longtime tracker manufacturer behind in making UWB tags
Tile, a longtime maker of consumer-grade Bluetooth tracking tags, is pushing updates to its product line, improving the reception, chirpers, and designs for its 2022 Sticker, Mate, Slim, and Pro. It's also teasing a new tracker with extreme accuracy thanks to ultra-wideband radios.
Amazon will share your home Wi-Fi with strangers' devices — this is how to opt out
Amazon Sidewalk launches in the US on June 8th
Amazon has one of the largest ecosystems of smart home gadgets on the market today. From Echo speakers to Ring's lineup of security cameras and doorbells, millions of users rely on Alexa-compatible gear to stay connected and protected. With a massive IoT presence, Amazon is no stranger to privacy concerns, and it seems like the company is once again facing some public scrutiny. Next week, a low-bandwidth mesh network will be activated across its gadgets in the US, leaving users only a few days left to opt out.Since 2019, Amazon has been testing a protocol called Sidewalk to extend the range of its gear. Originally announced alongside the Ring Fetch, Sidewalk operates as a mesh network over the 900MHz band, allowing gadgets to streamline the setup of new gear and keep devices online outside of your home's Wi-Fi connection. Most of Amazon's products since 2018 support the feature, with Echo speakers and Ring cameras acting as bridges. These hubs can cast a signal up to a mile in range, but up until now, it's been limited to test areas in the United States.On June 8th, Amazon is enabling Sidewalk on every compatible device in the US, so if you own an Echo, you and your network will automatically be enrolled. Although its maximum bandwidth is limited to 80Kbps with a monthly data cap of 500MB, it's still a shared connection to miscellaneous gadgets in your neighborhood.There are some real benefits to staying enrolled in Sidewalk, like Ring cameras continuing to send motion notifications even without a consistent Wi-Fi connection. It also offers a tracking network, similar to Samsung's SmartThings or Apple's Find My, for any of Amazon's partner devices. For example, Tile trackers will sync over Sidewalk starting on June 14th.
Unlike Apple and Samsung, T-Mobile's tracker gadget doesn't need a nearby phone to find your stuff
But you will have to pay for it every month, and charge it up every week
"Mom, can I have an Apple AirTag?" "No, we have an AirTag at home!"
The Samsung Galaxy SmartTag helps you find your misplaced keys, wallet, and more
It only fully functions with Galaxy smartphones or tablets
Samsung hasn't only announced the S21 series and the Galaxy Buds Pro at Unpacked today, it also took the time to introduce the Galaxy SmartTag. It's a concept that should feel familiar if you've ever heard of Tile. Like the products from the hugely successful competitor, the Galaxy SmartTag will help you find misplaced items via Bluetooth Low Energy. It also has a button that lets you activate a pre-defined smart home routine. It's controlled via the new SmartThings Find service.
Is there anything worse than watching the battery icon on your favorite smart device hit 1%? The sad truth is that our phones, tablets, and computers are pretty useless without the power to keep them running. On this week's Wednesday roundup, we're featuring deals on portable batteries and wall chargers that will ensure your devices stay juiced up, no matter where your day takes you.
If you're the type of person who occasionally displaces keys, wallets, phones, or even pets, the Tile Mate might just be for you. The neat little Bluetooth chip can be attached or affixed to most everyday objects (including collars) that you might want to keep track of and will ring loudly to help you locate them. Right now, the 2020 version of the Tile Mate is available for the all-time low of $20 at multiple retailers, which is $5 less than the MSRP. You can also get a pack of four for $50, saving you $20.The Tile Mate has a range of about 200 feet. When it's in that vicinity, you can make it ring through its companion app or by asking Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa. If you happen to be in the reverse situation (you've got your Tile but you've lost your smartphone), there's a button on the Tile that can make your phone sound an alarm, too. In contrast to other Tile models, this one sports a replaceable CR1632 battery that should last a year from activation. More advanced features include 'Community Find' and family or friend sharing which could help you retrieve things that are outside your smartphone's Bluetooth range.
Tile just announced its new, button-shaped tracker, the Tile Sticker, about a month ago. As you've probably surmised, it's your standard Tile tracker, but smaller, and you can stick it to stuff. You can get a great deal on an eight-pack right now: it's $100, $60 off the normal price — and you'll get a free Nest Mini to boot.
Tile recently introduced a whole swath of new Bluetooth trackers and, to complement its new releases, the company has now directly its products with Google Assistant. The feature was announced last month, but is now live for all.
Tile’s Bluetooth trackers have always been the perfect solution for people who are bad at keeping track of their belongings. But the biggest problem was that you could only use the tracker by attaching it to a keychain, hanging it on one of your bag's zippers, or literally keeping it in your pocket. There was no way you could hang it on your smartphone or any other electronic device.
It's the first Monday of a new month, and we've got some particularly nice deals for you. Today, you can save $30 on the Ring Video Doorbell 2, $10 on a great pair of USB-C earbuds, and get some highly-rated USB-C cables for next to nothing.
There's this company that has created these nifty little Bluetooth-powered tags that you can attach to things to help you find them later on. Say you lose you keys all the time, want to be sure you don't misplace your laptop, or can't risk losing your backpack on a college campus—just slap one of these tags up there and you should be good to go. That's the idea behind Tile, whose little Tiles now work with Android.
The creators of Sporos (which found a place in our top seven games list from February) today released their latest creation – Alien Hive. The game is based on the familiar "match three" dynamic, but don't be fooled – Alien Hive isn't just another Bejeweled clone. Hive adds several interesting gameplay elements that put a new twist on the genre, keeping it challenging and entertaining. Best of all, the game can be played at your own pace – there's no pressure to be super speedy about swapping tiles.